Vanessa Hall  
Editor  

WITH COMMUNITY connection, inclusivity and future growth as priorities, and in an attempt to keep up with the larger established venues in the local region, the Coolum Beach Bowls Club has started 2026 with a fresh new logo and name change and will now be known as the ‘Coolum Beach Sports Club’ however, one thing that is not changing is the club’s commitment to the game of bowls.

Other local clubs, such as the Tewantin Bowls Club, which is now known as the Noosa Sports Club, have gone down a similar path of brand redesign in an attempt to change the often-outdated perception associated with bowls clubs and to be seen as relevant venues for both locals and tourists alike.

Coolum Beach Sports Club Manager Wendy Fifield said that the name change was a way to progress into the future.

“We want to appeal to every demographic and be seen as a preferred community hub.

“This was also a business decision as we have lots of tourism dollars here which we are not getting, and being known as the Coolum Beach Sports Club sets a standard and makes us look more appealing, and the more we make, the more we can give back to the community.”

The Coolum Beach Sports Club also wants to foster more relationships with other local sports and community clubs and groups.

“Currently, we sponsor the Coolum Colts Rugby League and Coolum Touch Football, and they have an agreement with us where they hold their functions here and use our dedicated group function facilities for their use,” Wendy said.

The club has extensively upgraded their function capabilities over the past few years.

“The Colts are great, and we would love to get more of those relationships happening.”

Coolum Beach Sports Club Chairman Peter Carmody stated that the name change was in keeping with the times.

“Many bowls clubs are changing trading names to increase patronage from the broader community, and bowls administrators have been unable to remove the stigma of the game.

“Young people generally do not want to be associated with the age demographic we are currently experiencing.”

Peter also reinforced that the club will not lose its primary responsibility to the game of bowls.

“We must make every attempt to appeal to the broader community, primarily for the promotion of the game and a trading name change, not an actual club name change, is an attempt to do this.

“The club has had ‘Coolum Beach Sports Club’ registered as a trading name for some time, and this was done when we initially opened discussions with the various sporting clubs in Coolum with the vision of these clubs using our facilities for any functions to mutual benefit, both financially and potentially for bowler recruitment.”

The club also saw this as an opportunity to get in first as the region’s main ‘sports club’.

“There was also the constant threat that a sports club could be established in the sporting precinct north of Stumers Creek,” Peter said.

“Our club has the best facilities of all the sports in Coolum and probably the most sound financial base, and if there is to be a genuine sports club in Coolum, we need to drive it.

“This will secure lawn bowls as the principal sport and protect its future.”

The club has previously changed tack with a name change stating that ’The Bowlo Coolum Beach’ was an attempt to fit in with local lingo, with a more modern and casual appeal.

“The ‘Sports Club’ is another attempt to appeal to locals and visitors alike,” Peter said.

“Visitors are more likely to consider a sports club visit than the image of a traditional bowls club.”

As part of this process, a graphic artist was engaged to assist in the design of a new logo. The logo incorporates the key elements and traditional colours of a Coolum Beach sporting club. The design highlights the core elements of the sports club with a primarily circular design representing any ball activity, such as bowls, cricket, and football, but with the addition of a smaller circular object representing a bowls jack to accentuate the club’s primary sport of bowls.